Royal Copley

I have an interest in pottery and am a collector of vintage glassware and other interesting things. I have been on the lookout for Royal Copley pieces. Here are the new additions to the collection!

 

 

The Best Baby Bib Ever!

"SEW" excited to have 2 baby boys  (nephews) join the family . Here are the very cute bibs I made - 2 of each print. The pattern is from Amy Karol's book bend-the-rules sewing.

I Pad Mini Case

I am addicted to Pinterest and I am sure Grandma would have liked it too- well not the technology part  but the idea of it for sure.  So this year's goal is to make as many Pinterest projects as I can and post the results - good and bad!

I am so excited to have received an I Pad Mini over the holidays, so my first project is a case for it.  I cruised around Pinterest for ideas and then went to work.  I knew I wanted to use linen and found in my sewing room a linen tea towel that I bought at Value Village (my other addition).  Using back stitch I embroidered a labrynth on the towel for the front of the case. Labrynths are so interesting and calming and red is my favorite colour.   I used a nice red cotton for the lining. To make the case I made a smaller version of the Artsy Clutch from Amy Karol's Bend-the-Rules Sewing Book.

I am very happy with the results!  Here's to a year of fun projects, what are you making?

Before and After Sewing Room

My sewing room is in the front porch of my house. Which is awesome most of the year and freezing cold in the winter. I sew in the kitchen from November - March. In the winter it becomes the catch all room and then every spring I clean it up so I can sew in there again. Summer of 2013 I finally organized it so it looks awesome and I can find everything - well most things if I am honest! I love it! Winter 2014 has been extremely cold and I can hardly wait to get out of the kitchen and back into my sewing room in March.

BEFORE

 

   The Rocking Chair sat in the corner of the kitchen in Westwood Cottage.  Altough difficult to see the table is a drop leaf table that Grandma and Grandpa refinished.  It sat in their porch covered in plants etc.

 

 

 

 



      

                   Gotta  love IKEA storage. The picnic baskets belonged to my Great Aunt - Alveretta Pansy (her real name) Grandma's Sister.

Hats that both of my Grandmothers wore, framed hankies, Grandma's jars full of buttons and old sewing baskets.

 

Hand crank Singer sewing machine and antique sewing basket.

 



Repurposed Treadle Sewing Machine

Grandpa Westwood loved to go to auction sales and buy old treadle sewing machines.  He would fix them up and get them sewing again. I think he would have been interested in my version of fixing up the old treadle.

1. Visit Westwood Cottage farm and have accommodating husband climb into a falling down barn to rescue an old treadle sewing machine base.

2.Bring home and have it sit in the shed for over a year.

3.Decide to make a table on my own and begin by spray painting the base black.

4.Go to Brandon and find several options to make the table top.  Return them.

5. Go to Brandon again and find a board that will fit and decide to tile the top.  Spend an hour deciding on the tile only to find it is going to cost over $100.00.  Start over.  Find reasonably priced tiles and spend another hour trying to make them fit the board – but can’t.  Hit self on the head and realize that I could cut the board to fit the tile!

6.Accommodating husband helps to cut the board and attach it to the base.

7.Apply tiles only to find that the board is warping!

8.Set table upside down in house with husband’s weights on it to try and flatten the board.

9.Table sits for the entire winter in front porch.

10.  Buy two more treadle sewing machines for future projects and put in shed.

11.    Summer is here and I decide that the little bit of curve in the board gives it “character” and finish table by grouting it.

12.Looks awesome on the deck with the fountain on it.  And I have a fun story to tell to boot!

   

      

This Old Clock

The Chimer

This old house has a chiming clock;

It dongs and chimes and goes tick tock;

It greets me in the morning and sings at night;

And sometimes, gets the time almost right.

 

It makes me stop and listen when it chimes;

A chance to pause and think of good times;

For this old clock has seen many things;

Summers, falls, winters and springs.

 

It is a part of this home and a part of me;

We have lived together contentedly;

Happy, sad or in between;

A dear old friend this clock has been.

 

                                    Joanne Baker ©

My Grandmother Beever and I had the same chiming clock. Sometimes when we talked on the phone you could hear both clocks chiming at the same time.  It was a special connection that we had.    Now that she is gone from me every time I hear the clock chime I think of her.   In a way she is saying Good Morning, How was Your Day, Have a Good Time, Have a Good Sleep, I Will Talk to you Tomorrow.

It's all in the Words!

In Westwood Cottage this cross stitch picture hung on the wall near the stove.  Grandma stitched it on linen and framed it herself.  I had it re-framed and now it hangs in my kitchen along with the cross stitch picture I made for my kitchen.  I remember her saying to me "I'm not dull!" and she was right!  I am reminded of her everyday when I look at the picture and the lovely times we had in Westwood Cottage.


Grandma Westwood's Cross Stitich



Joanne's Cross Stitch